CNN- Monday morning, the Vatican announced the death of Pope Francis.
The 88-year-old pontiff died following a series of health challenges in recent years.
The pope continued to hold engagements, including on easter sunday, when he met briefly with U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance.
Francis gave the traditional easter blessing from the balcony of St. Peter’s, although an aide read it on his behalf.
Pope Francis was born Jorge Mario Bergoglio on December 17, 1936 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
He was ordained as a priest in 1969 and eventually became the Archbishop of Buenos Aires.
He was made a cardinal by Pope John Paul II and elected as pope in 2013 after Pope Benedict retired.
Francis was the first Jesuit pope, the first Latin American pope, and the first from the Americas.
Throughout his clerical career, he was known for his humility.
When he was an archbishop, he took the bus to work and cooked his own meals.
As the leader of the catholic church, he advocated heavily for immigrants, refugees, and the poor– and he showed a lighter touch than previous popes on social issues like gay marriage.
